Lightning-arrester.



PATENTED JUNE 16, 1908.A

E. B. MBRRIAM. LIGHTNING ARRESTER.

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- Inventor Ezra B mrram,

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UNITED STATES PATENT onirica.

-nz'nA B. Manni/uu, or soHENEcTADY, New reins, Ass'ieNOn-'ro concimi. cnice/rmt:

` COMPANY, A CORPORATION or cnw Yonk.

LIGHTNING-ARRESTER.

Specification of Letterslatent.

Patented June 1e, isos.

Application led November 8, 1906. Serial No. 342,63.

ATo all w-zom it nay concern:

Be it known that 1, 'EzRA B. MERRIAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at This invention relates to improvements in -protective means for electrical systems and apparatus subject to high potential strains arislng rom'resonance,l static or other phenomena developed in the system itself, or

Afrom lightning or other-atmospheric disturbances transmitted thereto. i

My invention is embodied in an apparatus in which a water jet discharges into 'a confined space 1n such a way that when a heavy lelectric discharge passes through the apparatus the conducting stream or sheet of water will be converted into steam and generate a high pressure within the confined space and v thereby develop a high velocity blast in a direction to extinguish any arc which may form'across the space initially bridged by the -flowing water.

The apparatus hereinafter described can operate to continuously remove from the line to be protected any static or high potential charge which may be developed therein as by friction of the wind on the wires or by other well known causes, but in addition to this function the apparatus is `designed to take care' of heavy or disruptive charges which may arise from the direct or inductive action of lightning.

The details in my invention will be better understood by referencev to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which l Figure 1 is a' sectional elevation of my improved protective device; and Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of one arrangement for the protection of a three-phasecircuit.

In Fig. l the line conductor 1 to be prote'cted is connected directly to a metal shell 2' of copper having a screw threaded opening in its vbottom within which fits a non-conducting tube 3 of vulcanized rubber or other strong resistant material. A jet of water or other liquid 4 is directed, upward from the nozzle 5 .in such a way that it passes centrally through the opening in the tube 3 and impinges against the top of the cavity within the metal shell 2 and is there deflected downward into the annular trough 6 disposed within that shell. From this trough the water. overflows throughtube 3 and discharges from the end of the tube. The water jet 4 is ofXrelatively high velocity and small cross-section but may be varied in size 'through a considerable range without departing from the spirit of my invention. The nozzle 5 1s connected to ground and the water column 4 presents a lngh res1stance path to ground for any static charge which may accumulate on the lineconductor 1. In fact, when the apparatusis disposed as shown in Fig; 1 there may be a continuous leakage of line current to ground by wav of water jet 4'and also b v the thin film or sheet of waterdischarged through tube 3, but as these paths are of high resistance the ,loss of energy therethrough may be very small andl unobjectionable.

When` a heavy charge is induced on the line conductor 1, as in case of lightning, the discharge will pass to earth through the Water traversing the constricted chamber' of tube 3 and lin so doing will vaporize the water and develop a high vapor pressure within the shell 2, this action being in the nature of an explosion or high velocity blast to drive the are' downward through tube 3 and thereby rupture the are. I find that the circuit opens at the. zero point of the current wave and consequently does not produce oscillations on the line as might be the case with anuninclos'ed Water jet.

To prevent burning ot' the tlp of the lnozzle 5 I may introduce an annular metal ring 7 -at the lower end of the insulating tube 3 and` then connect the ring to` earth. This 'ring then serves to shield the nozzle from the burning action of the are and thereby insures a water jet of uniform diameter and velocity.

When my'deviee is applied to a threephase system I may use the arrangement shown in Fig. 2 in which the protective devices S, 9 and 10, connected respectively to the three conductors of the three-wire circuit, are each provided with a water nozzle connected to ground.- In the drawing I have shown the devices S, 9 and 1() as separated from the line conductors by spark gaps 1l, 12 'and 13, and I desire it to )e understood tihat these spark gaps are merely. diagrammatic and may be set at a break, down value approximating that Ol` the normal voltage of the system, or may be so adjusted action of a heavydischarge therethrough, and means tor utlhzlng the expansive action a heavy discharge is transmitted thereby.

'conductor arranged for connection with the of vapor so produced to interrupt the flow of current from said conductor.

42. A protective device having means for establishing a water liet to carry discharges from the line conductor, and means for conining "the expansive action of the Water When '3. A protective device comprising a closed metal shell, means for continuously projecting a liquid into said shell, and a non-conductive tube surrounding said projected liquid and forming a constricted opening from said shell.

4. A protective device v.comprising means for projecting a stream of liquid against a line'to be protected, and a non-conducting tube surroundingr saidstream to iorm a con-- stricted chamber.

5. ln a protective device, the combination of means for establishing a jet of liquid as a discharge path for abnormal current, and means for utilizing the vaporizing action of a heavy discharge through sain liquid to dey interruption of said discharge.

6. The combination with an electrical conductor subject to high potential dischargesI of a high resistance path to ground including a moving liquid subject to vaporization by a heavy electrical' discharge from said conductor, and ,means for utilizing said vaporization to develop a high velocity blast in a direction opposite to that of said moving liquid. i

7. A combined static discharger and lightning arrester'comprising a metal shell,'1neans for rojecting-a'jet of Water upward into said shell, anda non-conducting tube surrounding said jet and forming a constricted outlet from said shell.

8. vThe combination with an electrical conductor subject to high potential charges, olv a velop a high velocity blast assisting in the 40 path to ground therefor including a moving liquid subject to vaporization by heavy electric discharges from said conductor, and means for utilizing the vaporization of said liquid to develop a high velocity blast for rupturing the circuit between said conductor and ground.

9. A combined static discharger and lightning arrester comprising a metal shell, means for projecting a jet of Water upward into said shell, and a non-conducting tube surrounding said jet Vand discharging water from said shell.

,In Witness whereof, l have hereunto set my hand this th day of November, 1906.4

EZRA B. MERRIAM.

Witnesses1 i 'BENJAMIN B. HULL,

lHELEN ORFORD. 

